Oil-burner unit



Jan. 3; 1928.

S. L. LAUGHLIN ET AL OIL BURNER UNIT Filed Jan. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheetl g I E, 1 I 5;, I/IUEQW IIIII(III/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 1/ I Jan. 3,1928.

S. L. LAUGHLIN ET AL OIL BURNER UNIT Filed Jan. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet2 Zlnwnfoz 5 Jan. 3, 1928.

S. L. LAUGHLIN ET AL OIL BURNER UNIT Filed Jan. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet5 gmanto'ni 'IIIIIIIIIIII t I i 0 Jan. 3, 1928.

5. L. LAUGHLIN ET AL OIL BURNER UNI T Filed Jan. 25, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

smear. L. muemm, manner 1'. BMW, AND WILLIAM J. sm'rn, or cLmLm;

- omo.

cit-summit UNIT.

Application filed January as, as. Serial no. 103,352.

This invention relates to oil burners and is-directed more particularlyto oil burning units which are designed for use in connection withhousehold furnaces.

The main object of the inventionls to provide a burner unit ofthe-character described which may be easily and quickly installed in theaverage household furnace and which shall be capable of effectively replacing the use of coal, gas or other fuels commonly used for heatingpurposes.

Another object ofthe invention is to rovide a burner unit. wherein thefuel Oll 1s atomized by a rotary atomizing nozzle and which will effectan efiicient mixture of air and atomized oil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a burner unit system ofthe chara ter described which shall be entirely automatlc in itsoperation and which is well adapted for use in connection with standardmakes of thermostatic controls which are now on the market.

Another object of the invention is to provide a burner unit of thecharacter described which is provided with means for cutting off thesupply of fuel and discontinuing the operation of the motor should thefire fail to ignite or go out.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and simpleform of humor unit which comprises comparatively few parts and which iseasily assembled and disassembled and which is readily accessible topermit cleaning or replacement of any desired part thereof and which byreason of its simplicity is inexpensive to manufacture and we] adaptedfor quantity production at comparatively low cost.

With these objects-in view and further objects which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the inventlon consists in the various features ofconstruction and arrangement and combination of parts as will be morefully described hereinafter and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Fig. 1 1s a view in front elevation of our improved burner unitconnected with the household furnace of the usual type; Fig. 2 IS. aview partly in vertical section and partly in front elevation of ourimproved burner and showing the upper end of the burner pos tionedwithin the firebox of the furnace; Fig. 3.

is a view partly in vertical section and partly in front elevationdisclosing the fuel supply meansand the manner of securin the severalparts together; Fig. 4 is a orizontal sectional view on'the line 44 ofFig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 ofFig; 3.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the numeral 1 designates afurnace in which is positioned our burner unit designated generally bythe reference character 2. Positioned pre erably in close proximity tothe furnace is a tank 3 adapted to contain the source of fuel supply.Leading fr'om the tank 3 is a valve controlled fuel supply pipe 4 whichis connected with an oil regulator 5 so positioned with respect toprovide a constant head for the fuel. Connected with the oil regulator 5is a pipe 6 which leads to an oil strainer. 7 which removes foreignmatter from the oil and con- ,nected with the op osite side of the oilstrainer 7 is a pipe 8 aving a needle valve 9 .therein and also asolenoid valve 10 the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

eading from the 'oil valve 10 is a pipe 11,

having a valve 12 therein which connects with the lower end of theburner in a manner to be hereinafter set forth. The numeral 13designates a gas supply pipe which is provided with a solenoid gascontrol valve 14 which is normally held in closed position and connectswith a pilot burner 15. The valves 10 and 14 are adapted to be opened byany suitable means either electrical or mechanical which automaticallycontrol the position of the valves. The valve 14 is never entirely cutoff but always allows suflic ent gas to flow to keep the pilot 15burning. It will be noted that there are three valves in the oil supplyline, namely: the needle valve 9, the automatic valve 10 and the valve12. The valve 12 is in the nature of a safety valve and is automaticallyclosed when the overflow or trip bucket 18 becomes sufficiently filledwith oil to depress the pivotally mounted lever 18 to close the valve.

Referring now to Fig. 3 the burner unit proper comprises an annular.casting 19 which is supported by means of a plurality of adiustab e legs20, 21 and 22 so that the height of the same may be adjusted. Carto theburner as i 20, 21 and 22 is an electric a hollow shaft 24 whichprojects upwar 1 through an opening in the castin 19. etachabl securedto. the up er en of the hollow s aft 24 is a distri uting head 25 havinga bore 26 therein which is in open communication with a plurality oftubes 27 Secured to the upper end of the distributing head ,25 is a fanmember 28 which is preferably formed from a single piece of heatresisting sheet metal and provided with a pluralit of blades 29 on theperiphery thereof an a plurality of blades 30 on the bottom sidethereof. The annular casting 19 is shaped in section as shown mostclearly in Fig. 3 and around its periphery is provided with a pluralityof ports 31 which serve as air inlets. Secured over the top of theannular casting 19 is an annular plate 32 which is provided with aplurality of ports 33. The annular member 32 may be adjusted withrespect to the casting 19 to vary the size of the ports 31 and issecured in adjusted position by means of a set screw 34. The top of thecastin 19 is somewhat funnel shaped and is provi ed with a plurality ofopening ried by the 1 motor 23 havin 35. Fitting over the top of thecasting 19 1s a plate 36 provided with a plurality of openings 37adapted to be brought into a ignment with the openings 35. The plate 37may be adjusted with respect to the top of the casting to vary the sizeof the inlet opening 35 and is secured in adjusted position by setscrews 38.

Secured to the lower end of the motor is a hollow casting 39 forming achamber to the lower end of which the fuel supply pipe 11 is connected(see Fig. 1). The shaft 24 proects downwardly into chamber 39 andsecured to the lower end of the shaft by means of a set screw 40 is athreaded sleeve or rotor 41, the purpose of which will hereinafterappear. Connected with the upper end of the chamber 39 is a T 42 (seeFig. 1) and supported on the upper end of the motor 23 is an annulardrip pan 43 which is adapted to receive any oil which may drip from thefirebox. The pipe 43 is connected with the T 42 by means of a ipe 44 andalso connected with the T 42 is apipe 45 leading to the trip bucket 18,the purpose of which will also hereinafter appear. The casting 19 isalso provided with a plurality of ports 46 which serve to deliver intothe drip pan 43 any oil which may escape into the firebox. The casting19 is also provided with a plurality of openings 47 which serve todeliver into the tin pan 43 any oil which may seep past the rei ractorymaterial 48 around the casting 19.

The valves 10 and 14 are normally closed and are opened by means ofsolenoids the circuits to which are controlled by the pro tecto-relay17. The protecto-relay 17 is in circuit with the protectostat 16 andalso the room thermostat or thermostats and forms no part of thisinvention. Controls of this character may be purchased on the openmarket and are adapted for connection with any standard burner unit. Ourdevice is also adapted for use with a mechanical con trol unit forcontrolling the motor and the oil and gas valves. Mechanical controlunits. for burner units of this type may also be purchased on the openmarket.

Assuming that it is desired to start the furnace and deliver heat to therooms to be heated, the fuel supply valve 4 is opened and a manuallyoperated switch on the protecto-relay 17 is moved to close the circuitto the motor 23. The fuel now flows through the pipe 4, valve 4, oilregulator 5, pipe 6, strainer 7, pipe 8, valve 9, valve '10, which isheld open by the relay, valve 12 which is now open, and thence throughpipe 11 into the bottom of the chamber 39. The switch to the motorhaving been closed the same will be in operation and the. shaft 23 willbe rotating and with it necessarily the rotor 41. As the rotor 41 isrotating the fuel cannot flow past the threads in the same and willnecessarily flow up the hollow shaft 24 and be delivered through the oildistributing head and tubes 27. When the motor is started the gasexpanding valve 14 is automatically actuated to expand the pilot flameand the fuel delivered through the tubes 27 will be atomized and mixedwith air and ignited by the coming in contact with expanded pilot flame.As soon as sufficient heat is generated within the firebox theprotectostat 16 on the furnace door will be actuated to break a circuitto allow the valve 14 to return to its former position and the gassupply will be cut down and only sufficient gas will be admitted throughthe valve 14 to keep the pilot flame burning. The motor will continuerunning and the burner will be supplied with oil through the pipe 11andthe hollow shaft 24. When the temperature in the room to be heatedreaches a predetermined point the thermostat therein will be actuated tocut off the su ply of current to the motor and the va ve 10 will beallowed to close to cut off the supply of fuel. When the temperature inthe room to be heated falls to a predetermined oint the protecto-relay17 will again open t e valve 10, close the circuit to the motor 23 andexpand the pilot flame by opening the valve 14. The fuel will againbecome ignited and the burner continue in operation until the thermostatin the room to be heated is again actuated to repeat this cycle ofoperation. Should the fuel fail to i ite when the motor is started, theoil will ow down through the ports 46 into the pan 43 and thence t roughpipe 44, T 42, pipe 45 and fill the bucket 18 which will actuate lever18' to close the valve 12 and cut oif the supply of fuel. Should themotor 23 fail to start at the proper timeor for some reason stop, thefuel will flow into the bottom of c amber 39 and past the screw threadedrotor 41 and fill the chamber 39 and overflow through the T 42 and pipe45 and be delivered into the bucket 18 which ifvili close valve 12 andcut off the supply of One of the main features of our invention is thefan member 28 which is preferably formed from a single piece of heatresisting metal. From an inspection of Fig. 3 it will be seen that thefan blades 29 project downwardly below the delivery end of thedistributer tubes 27 so that when the motor is running air forsupporting combustion will be drawn in through the openings in thecasting 19 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. The result obtained isthat there will be a layer of atomized fuel delivered between two layersof air. This construction provides for a very efficient mixture of airand atomized oil and results in an extremely hot flame disposed aroundthe entire periphery of the firebox. The plates 33 and 36 may beadjusted to effect a proper mixture of air and atomized oil so that avery eflicient flame is obtained. The simplicity of the burner unit andthe ease with which it may be assembled and disassembled will adaptthesame for the purpose for which it is intended.

It will now be clear that we have provided a burner unit which willoperate under all conditions and which will automatically cut off thesupply of oil should the burner fail to ignite or the motor fail tostart for any reason. Various changes may be made in our constructionwithout departing from the spirit of our invention and we wish ourinvention to be limited only in accordance with the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1; A burner unit of the class described comprising a frame, a castingsupported by said frame and adapted to be positioned beneath a fireboxof a furnace, said casting having an annular dependin portion having aplurality of openings tierein and being provided with a plurality ofoenings in the top thereof, a motor carried y said frame and having ahollow shaft projecting into the top of said casting, a distributin headcarried by said shaft and a. fan carrie by said distributing head, saiddistributing head having a plurality of tubes extending outwardlytherefrom, the blades of said fan extending below the delivery end ofsaid tubes and means for supplying liquid fuel to said distributing heay 2. A burner unit of the class described comprising a frame, a castingsupported by:

said frame and adapted to be ositioned within an opening in a firebox,a. p urality of air inlet openings in said casting, a motor carried bysaid frame and having a hollow shaft pro ecting upwardly through saidcasting, a distributing head rigidly secured to said hollow shaft andhaving a plurality of discharge tubes disposed in open communicationwith the said hollow shaft, and a fan member rigidly secured to saiddistributing head and having a plurality of fan blades formed thereonand extending downwardly below the delivery end of said distributingtubes, means for varyin the size of said air inlet openings, a cham orconnected with the lower end of said motor and in which the lower end ofsaid hollow shaft is disposed, a supply pipe for deliverin liquid fuelto the lower end of said cham er, said chamber having an overflowopening therein, means,

secured to said hollow shaft and disposed within said chamber fordirecting theflow of fuel into said hollow shaft when the same is beingrotated.

3. A burner unit of the class described comprising a frame, a castingsupported above said frame and adapted to be positioned within anopening in a'firebox, a hollow shaft projecting upwardly into saidcasting, a distributing head secured to said hollow shaft and having aplurality of delivery tubcs disposed in open communication with saidhollow shaft, a casin surrounding the lower end of said shaft an havingan overflow openin therein, a liquid fuel supply pipe connecte with saidcasing, a member disposed within said casing and nonrotatably secured tosaid shaft, said member closely fitting within said casing and having abore therein connecting the interior of said casing with the interior ofsaid hollow shaft, the periphery of said member being threaded and thepitch of the threads being such that when said shaft is rotated in onedirection the fuel will be forced into said hollow shaft.

4. A burner unit of the class described comprising a frame, a castingsupported above said frame and adapted to be posi tioned within. anopening in a firebox, a hollow shaft projecting upwardly into saidcasting, a distributing head secured to said hollow shaft and having aplurality of delivery tubes disposed in open communication with saidhollow shaft, a casing surrounding the lower end of said shaft andhaving an overflow opening therein, a liquid fuel supply pipeconnectedwith said casing, a rotor arranged within said casing andnonrotatably secured to said shaft and adapted to deliver the fuel intothe lower end of said hollow shaft when said shaft is rotated in onedirection, said rotor engaging the walls of said casing and having oneor more passageways therein adapted to permit the fuel lacto flowthrough said casing when the shaft and rotor are at rest.

5. A'burner unit of the class described comprising a frame, a castingsupported by open communication with said hollow shaft and leadingoutwardly toward the periphery thereof, a fan member rigidly secured tosaid distributing head and having a plurality of fan blades thereonextending downwardly below the delivery and of said distributing tubes,a casing surrounding the lower end of said hollow shaft, a screwnon-rotatably secured to said shaft and engaging the walls of saidcasing, aliquid fuel supply pipe connected with said casin an overflowconnection leading from sair casing, the pitch of said screw being suchthat when said shaft is rotated in one direction the fuel will bedirected into said hollow shaft.

6. burneif' unit of the class descrbfid com using a rame a castin suorte said frame and adapted to be iositioned within an opening in afireboig, a pluralit of air inlet 0 nings in said casting, a ho lowshaft pro ecting upwardly through said casting, a distributing headrigidly secured to said hollow shaft and having a plurality of dischargetubes disposed in open communication wit the said hollow shaft, and afan member rigidly secured to said distributing head and having aplurality of fan blades formed thereon and extending downwardly belowthe delivery and of said distributing tubes, means for varying the sizeof said air inlet openings, a chamber connected with the lower end ofsaid motor and in which the lower end of said hollow shaft is disposed,a supply pi e for deliverin liquid fuel to'the lower en of said cham or,said chamber having an overflow opening therein, a member non-rotatablyconnected with said hollow shaft and closely fitting within said chamberfor directing the flow of fuel into said hollow shaft when the same isbeing rotated.

7. In a burner unit of the class described, the combination of adistributing head having a plurality of delivery tubes extendingoutwardly therefrom, a fan member carried by said head and extendingover said delivery tubes, said fan member having a plurality of bladesdisposed about its pcriphe and extendinn' downwardly below the dc iveryend of said tubes, a hollow shaft i connected with said distributinghead at its up er end, a casing surrounding the lower end of said hollowshaft and having an overflow opening therein, aliquid fuel supply pipeconnected with said casing and an overflow pipe connected with the upperend of said casing, a rotor non-rotatab with the lower end of said shaftand closely fitting within said casing and adapted to deliver liquidfuel into the lower end of said shaft when the shaft is rotated in onedirection and to permit fuel to flow through said casing and overflowpipe when said shaft and rotor areat rest.

8. In a burner unit of the class described, the combination of a'distributing head, a hollow shaft connected with said distributing headand depending therefrom, a casing surrounding the lower end of saiddistributing head and having an overflow opening therein, a liquid fuelsup ly pipe leading into said distributing hea a member disposed withinsaid casing and non-rotatably secured to said shaft, said member closelyfitting within said casing and serving to force the liquid fuel intosaid hollow shaft when rotated in one direction and permitting theliquid fuel to flow through said casing and overflow opening when theshaft is at rest. a i l 9. In a burner unit for furnaces of the classdescribed, the combination of a combustion chamber having a centrallydis osed o ning therein, of a centrifugal fue distri uting unit arrangedwithin said openin and consisting of a rotatable distributing ead havinga plurality of fan blades thereon for drawing air into the combustionchamber, of a hollow shaft depending from the distributing head andconnected with the source of fuel supply, said distributin head havi aplurality of radially disposes delivery tl lges y connected all arrangedin open communication with said hollow shaft, a casing surrounding thelower end of said hollow shaft and having an overflow opening therein, aliquid fuel supply pipe connected with said casing and an ove ow pipeconnected with said overflow opening, a. rotor non-rotatably connectedwith the lower end of said shaft and closely fitting within said casing,said rotor having one or more openings therein adapted to permit thefuel to flow through said casing when the shaft and rotor are at restand means for rotatin said distributing head whereby a combustiblemixture of fuel oil and air is distributed from a central oint in thecombustion chamher and borne in the form of a ring substantially againstthe wall of the combustion chamber, there being no combustible mixturebetween said distributing head and ring. 10. In a burner unit forfurnaces of the class described, the combination of a combustion chamberhavin a centrally disposed opening therein, of a istributing headarranged within said combustible chamber and having a hollow shaftprojecting through said opening, said distributingv head having aplurality of discharge tubes disposed in open communication with saidhollow shaft lUJ and a fan member rigidly secured thereto her fordirecting the flow of fuel into said and having a plurality of fanblades formed hollow shaft when the same is being rotated, thereon fordrawing air into the combustion said screw engaging the walls of saidchamchamber, of means for rotating said distribher and permitting theflow of fuel through 5 uting head, of a chamber surrounding the saidcasing when said shaft is at rest. 15 lower end of said hollow shaft andhaving In testimony whereof, we hereunto aifix an overflow openingtherein, a supply 'pipe our signatures. for delivering liquid fuel tothe lower end of SAMUEL L. LAUGHLIN. said chamber and a screw secured tosaid HERMAN F. BRAUN.

hollow shaft and disposed within said cham- V. 1. SMITH.

and a fan inember rigidly secured theretoand having a plurality of fanblades formed thereon for drawing air into the combustion chamber, ofmeans for rotating said distrib- 5 uting' head, of a chamber surroundingthe lower end of said hollow shaft and having an overflow openingtherein, a supply pipe for delivering liquid fuel to the lower end ofsaid chamber and a screw secured to said l0 hollow shaft and disposedwithin said cham- CERTIFICATE Oi CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 655,016.

Granted January 3, 1928, to

SAMUEL L. LA UGHLIN ET AL.

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneouslyiasued to the inventors, "Samuel L. Laughlin et al" as owners of saidinvention, whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to"Cleveland Steel Products Corporation, of Cleveland, Ohio, a Corporationof Ohio", said corporation being assignee of the entire interest in saidinvention, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the ease in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D. 1928.

Seal.

Me Jo Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. l,655,0l6. Granted January 3, 1928, to

SAMUEL L. LAUGHLIN ET AL.

It is hereby certified that the above numbered patent was erroneouslyiasned to the inventors, "Samuel L. Laughlin et al" as owners of saidinvention, whereas said Letters Patent should have been issued to"Cleveland Steel Products Corporation, of Cleveland, Ohio, a Corporationof Ohio", said corporation being assignee of the entire interest in saidinvention, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D. 1928.

M. J. Moore, Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents.

